The effect of neem leaf decoction on the bacterial count on the right buccal mucosa of selected Cebu Doctors' University dental students A.Y. 2016-2017.

    The objective of the study was geared towards the effect of neem leaf decoction on the bacterial count on the right buccal mucosa of the selected Cebu Doctor's University Dental Students A.Y. 2016-2017.The research was mainly randomized controlled trial involving 24 participants base on a set of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 14 Belonging to the control group and another 14 Belonging to the experimental group though simple random allocation. This study was conducted in the Prosthodontic Department and Research Lab of Cebu Doctors' University. The pour plate technique was used in obtaining the colony and Direct Method by Manual Counting using the Quebec Colony Counter to obtain the colonyforming unit.

     After gargling with neem leaves decoction ,the Colony-Forming Unitof neem leaves decoction also reduced: from >625,000 (pre-treatment) to 36,058.33±18,173.43 (day 7) and further reduced to 21,833.33±13,735.18 (day 14). A non-parametric Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test revealed that there was a significant median bacterial count (cfu/ml) difference day 7 and day 14 post-treatments in the 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate treatment group, bacterial count significantly decreased from day 7 to day 14 at .05 level of significance,. A paired t-test showed that bacterial count (cfu/ml) significantly decreased from day 7 to day 14 post-treatments by 14,225 cfu/ml at .05 level of significance. An independent t-test showed that there was no significant mean bacterial count (cfu/ml) difference in day 7 post treatment between 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate group and neem leaves decoction at.05 level of significance.

     Evident to the findings, the researchers concluded that neem leaf decoction was effective in reducing the bacterial colony count on the right buccal mucosa and it was comparatively effective to 0.12 and chlorhexidine gluconate. The researchers would like to recommend using the result of the study as source of added literature and background regarding neem leaf decoction for conducting further studies about its effects on the bacterial colony count.In the interest of future studies, the researchers would like to recommend the following studies: First, a study on the effect of neem leaf extraction on the plaque index on the mandibular lingual anterior teeth. Second, a study on the effect neem leaf infusion on the oral bacterial count to know the precise effect of neem leaf on the specific bacterial. Third, a study on the effect of the application of the neem leaf on post-extraction wound site healing.